1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a foldable keyboard, and more particularly, to a foldable keyboard capable of enabling rapid folding of the notebook computer so as to replace and upgrade peripherals easily.
2. Related Art
Nowadays, the hardware structure of the notebook computer has been developed towards convenient assembly. As for the keyboard assembly, the conventional keyboard is fastened to the housing of the notebook computer with screws. The process thereof is very complicated and brings much inconvenience in fastening and operating. Furthermore, since there are many electronic units, such as a hard disk, a central processing unit, and various interface cards, in the notebook computer, the keyboard has to be disassembled when dismounting or performing maintenance on the electronic units. Thus, with the conventional keyboard fastened to the housing of the notebook computer, much inconvenience is caused during maintenance, which is labor consuming and time consuming.
Furthermore, nowadays many manufacturers producing conventional notebook computers provide devices that can be upgraded and replaced by the user of the notebook computer for, for example, upgrading memory, adding memory, replacing and upgrading the central processing unit, and even replacing most of the peripherals of the computer, wherein most of the above devices that can be upgraded by the users are disposed below the keyboard to facilitate replacement and upgrade.
However, it is impossible for the user to know the design modes of the originally manufactured housings when they want to replace and upgrade devices all by him/herself. Therefore, specialized retailers and the manufacturer of the housing are asked to help. That is because most of the housing structures as designed in the above notebook computer must be disassembled to replace the peripherals in the housing.
Referring to FIG. 1 for the defect of disassembling the housing in the conventional technology, although the present notebook computer P1 is designed comprising a keyboard P10 and a housing P20 of the notebook computer P1. The keyboard P10 can be disassembled directly to facilitate the replacement and upgrade of the peripherals in the housing P20. However, the conventional keyboard P10 matched with the housing P20 of the notebook computer P1 is configured integrally, and when the keyboard P10 is disassembled directly to replace the electronic unit P30, the electrical connection thereof will be affected, which results in a poor contact. Furthermore, this design makes it easy for manufacturers to assemble the computer, but for users with little assembly experience, it is difficult and complicated. Moreover, if the electrical connection of the keyboard and the notebook computer is lifted due to carelessness of the user, the keyboard will fail to function due to the poor contact of its pins.
Therefore, when the user wants to replace and upgrade the peripherals of the notebook computer, the conventional keyboard designed to be configured integrally has the disadvantage of having the keyboard damaged such that the keys fail to function normally. Thus, it has become an object for researchers how to redesign a foldable keyboard that can facilitate the replacement and upgrade of the peripherals of the notebook computer by the user without damaging the keyboard.